Chapter 16: So, I'm the Villain

Chapter 16: So, I Was the Villain All Along

The stench of fire and blood began to permeate the air. A small group of elderly farmers, wielding makeshift weapons and shields, roared hysterically as they launched a desperate death charge against the invaders, seeking to buy a sliver of survival for the families behind them.

It was the first time Alan saw the invaders: a group of monsters who seemed to have no concept of mercy. Clad in black armor, they moved in formation through the narrow village paths, hunting down every living thing in sight.

The farmers were brave, but they were no match for a group of highly trained killing machines; they could not compete in either strength or speed. Soon, the battle was over, and the farmers lay motionless in their own pools of blood. They hadn't even managed to land a successful blow on their opponents. The invaders stepped over the corpses of the farmers and continued their advance into the heart of the village with elegant precision.

In fact, Antoine's decision had been correct. Why would a group of trained killing machines fail to occupy the high ground if they saw it? The moment the village gates were breached, a squad of soldiers charged directly for the heights, cutting down the elderly, weak, and women who were attempting to climb toward the earthen fort. The banner of the House of Calamity stood tall atop the fort, its crimson fabric clashing strangely with the green light in the sky. Black-steel crossbowmen braced behind shields, raining bolts indiscriminately upon those below. Some villagers attempted to flee through the back gate, but the moment it opened, they were cut down by invaders who had been waiting in ambush, allowing the enemy to pour into the village from the rear.

Two invaders blocked the path of Alan's mother. She attempted to use her own body to shield Alan and his brother. With mocking grins, the two invaders seized her; one plunged a serrated dagger into her abdomen. She let out a piercing wail before being dragged into a nearby house.

Alan sat paralyzed on the ground by shock and terror, while his brother began to wail in agony. A third invader seemed poised to follow his companions, but he turned back with a look of displeasure, seemingly annoyed by the sound of the brother's cries. Just as he raised his sword to strike Alan's brother, a dark shadow lunged from the side, tackling him to the ground.

Alan recognized the shadow: it was the blacksmith from next door. Antoine always mocked him at the dinner table, saying he should be making farm tools instead of insisting on forging weapons for knights to become a swordsmith. Not only was it unprofitable, but he was so slow at it that he couldn't even find a wife. A few months ago, after finishing a set of weapons for a knight, he hadn't received a reward but had instead been beaten severely—nearly beaten to death because the knight disliked a small decoration on the hilt. He had spent months recovering in bed, with Antoine being the one to bring him food and care for him.

At this moment, the blacksmith had knocked the invader down and gripped his sword hilt, attempting to plunge the blade into the invader's neck. However, the invader, lying on the ground, used the notch in the middle of his blade to catch and pin the blacksmith's sword. The blacksmith screamed hysterically, exerting every ounce of his strength, but the sword wouldn't budge. The invader on the ground wore a playful, mocking smile, his eyes staring intensely at the blacksmith as if contemplating what cruel way he would use to retaliate. Cold sweat poured down the blacksmith's face; he stopped screaming and began to call out with a trembling voice, "Alan! Run! I can't hold him! You and your brother, run! Thank Antoine..."

Before the blacksmith could finish, a steel chain whipped through the air, precisely coiling around his neck. A Black Ark pirate, with three severed heads hanging from his waist, gave the chain a violent yank, dragging the blacksmith to the ground. The blacksmith clawed desperately at the chain around his neck, feeling himself losing the ability to breathe.

In that moment, Alan's brother had a sudden flash of intuition. He grabbed Alan's hand and began to run. The flickering firelight illuminated his face and the horrific scene surrounding them. He saw the blood-soaked, muddy streets; he saw people still attempting to fight back, only to be cut down in vain. Alan's brother pulled him into an alleyway, running toward a gap in a fence. The gap was only large enough for a dog to pass through, and his brother told him to crawl through first.

His brother was not as lucky. When he was halfway through, a steel chain wrapped around his calf and yanked him straight back. Alan pulled desperately at his brother's hand, but it was futile; he could only watch helplessly as his brother was dragged away. His brother didn't scream; instead, he looked at Alan and smiled, saying, "Go!"

A Black Ark pirate stepped forward, grabbing Alan's brother by the collar, and said mockingly, "Praise Kane. The nobility love having little boys like this to serve as their squires."

Another nearby joked, "You're talking about the fallen nobility—the ones who cling to their pride even without a Sovereign. Real nobility don't even bring squires. For example, Dark..."

The Black Ark pirate immediately interrupted him, "Do you have a death wish? If you want to die, don't drag me down with you." After scanning the surroundings and seeing they were alone, he breathed a sigh of relief. He then glared at the reckless man and gave him a hard kick. The man realized he had said too much and shut his mouth, silently taking the blow.

The invader lying on the ground performed a sudden spring up, pulling out a serrated dagger, preparing to rip open the blacksmith's chest. The captain of the Black Ark pirates walked over to stop him, saying darkly, "Tonight, there are enough sacrifices for Kane. The rest should be offered to Lord Dakus."

The invader kicked the blacksmith resentfully before heading into the house; months of sailing at sea had left him restless. Those "cousins" were commodities equal in value to Sovereigns; they were meant to be sold, and there would be no chance for a low-level grunt like him to claim them.

Alan finally burst out of the woods, only to encounter a suffocating sight: a strangely shaped war chariot was parked in front of a cave, and three beast tamers atop it were staring into the dark mouth of the cavern.

One tamer said, "I can feel something inside, and it's very dangerous."

"As if we couldn't feel it. You're just bored and looking for trouble."

The tamer driving the chariot frowned and said, "Don't go looking for trouble. We lost the Claw Tournament last year. The Tower of Destruction is short on War Hydra right now. When we get back, I'll apply to Lord Jaeger to let you go hunt them."

The tamer immediately pleaded for mercy, "Spare me, I was just talking. Huh? Why is there a kid over there?" As he spoke, he raised a harpoon crossbow. Alan felt a sudden, sharp pain in his body, and then he was flying through the air. His vision went black, and then there was nothing.

The tamer driving the chariot looked wordlessly at Alan, who was now pinned to a tree trunk, and said, "Since when did you become such a good shot? Let's head back."

"Giddy up!"